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CANYONLANDS — If you are looking for an easy stroll and a beautiful overlook, the Grand View Point trail is the hike for you.
The Grand View Point trail is located on the Island in the Sky Mesa in Canyonlands National Park. Hikers can drive along Highway 313 until the road reaches a dead-end at the Grand View Point Overlook parking lot.
The 6,080-foot overlook offers a beautiful view of the canyon, the Green River and dozens of red-rock mesas. Hikers can also see The Needles District and the La Sal Mountains in the distance. Anyone wanting to enjoy more of the view and see different areas of the overlook can continue along the Grand View Point trail that winds along the rim of the canyon’s edge.
The trail takes hikers along the edge of the canyon on flat, slickrock and hardpacked dirt for a mile. The view stays the same for the first half-mile and then the trail veers toward the opposite side of the mesa to give panoramic views of the other side of the canyon.
The hike is fairly easy and flat, but hikers need to be careful not to get too close to the edge of the rim as there is no fence or barrier for most of the hike. While the hike is an easy one, people should remember to take water because there is no shade along the walk and the slickrock can get hot.
The entire hike is 2 miles out and back and will take about 90 minutes.
